Accredited nursing programs in Pennsylvania
74 schools in Pennsylvania have at least one nursing program accredited by ACEN or CCNE: 46 BSN, 20 ADN, 17 LPN, 34 MSN programs. 4 hold both accreditors across their programs. For the bachelor’s degree, 38 of 46 listings are CCNE and 10 are ACEN.
- Bachelor's programs
- 46
- 10 ACEN, 38 CCNE
- Associate programs
- 20
- 20 ACEN, 0 CCNE
- Practical programs
- 17
- 17 ACEN, 0 CCNE
- Master's programs
- 34
- 4 ACEN, 32 CCNE
Accredited schools in Pennsylvania
| School | City | Type | BSN | ADN | LPN | MSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alvernia University | Reading | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Bucks County Community College | Newtown | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Butler County Community College | Butler | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County | Scranton | Public | – | – | ACEN | – |
| Carlow University | Pittsburgh | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Cedar Crest College | Allentown | Private | ACEN | – | – | ACEN + CCNE |
| Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit LPN Career | Milton | Public | – | – | ACEN | – |
| Chatham University | Pittsburgh | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Chester County Intermediate Unit | Downingtown | Public | – | – | ACEN | – |
| Clearfield County Career and Technology Center | Clearfield | Public | – | – | ACEN | – |
| Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | Bloomsburg | Public | ACEN + CCNE | ACEN | – | CCNE |
| Community College of Allegheny County | Pittsburgh | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Community College of Beaver County | Monaca | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Community College of Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Delaware County Community College | Media | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| DeSales University | Center Valley | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Duquesne University | Pittsburgh | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | East Stroudsburg | Public | ACEN | – | – | – |
| Eastern Center for Arts and Technology | Willow Grove | Public | – | – | ACEN | – |
| Eastern University | Saint Davids | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Fayette County Career & Technical Institute Practical Nursing Program | Uniontown | Public | – | – | ACEN | – |
| Franklin County Career and Technology Center | Chambersburg | Public | – | – | ACEN | – |
| Gannon University | Erie | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Grove City College | Grove City | Private | ACEN | – | – | – |
| Gwynedd Mercy University | Gwynedd Valley | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Harcum College | Bryn Mawr | Private | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Harrisburg Area Community College | Harrisburg | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Harrisburg University of Science and Technology | Harrisburg | Private | – | – | – | CCNE |
| Holy Family University | Philadelphia | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Immaculata University | Immaculata | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania | Indiana | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| King's College | Wilkes-Barre | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| La Roche University | Pittsburgh | Private | ACEN | – | – | ACEN |
| La Salle University | Philadelphia | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Lehigh Carbon Community College | Schnecksville | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Lenape Technical School Practical Nursing Program | Ford City | Public | – | – | ACEN | – |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-Allentown | Allentown | For-profit | – | – | ACEN | – |
| Luzerne County Community College | Nanticoke | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Marywood University | Scranton | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Messiah University | Mechanicsburg | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology | Lewistown | Public | – | – | ACEN | – |
| Misericordia University | Dallas | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Montgomery County Community College | Blue Bell | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Moravian University | Bethlehem | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Mount Aloysius College | Cresson | Private | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Neumann University | Aston | Private | ACEN | – | – | ACEN |
| Northampton County Area Community College | Bethlehem | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Northern Tier Career Center | Towanda | Public | – | – | ACEN | – |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | University Park | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Pennsylvania Western University | California | Public | ACEN + CCNE | ACEN | – | ACEN + CCNE |
| Reading Area Community College | Reading | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Robert Morris University | Moon Township | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Saint Francis University | Loretto | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster | Lancaster | Private | CCNE | ACEN | – | CCNE |
| Seton Hill University | Greensburg | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | Slippery Rock | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Temple University | Philadelphia | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Thomas Jefferson University | Philadelphia | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | Bradford | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Pittsburgh | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| University of Scranton | Scranton | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Venango County Area Vocational Technical School | Oil City | Public | – | – | ACEN | – |
| Villanova University | Villanova | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Waynesburg University | Waynesburg | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania | West Chester | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Westminster College | New Wilmington | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Westmoreland County Community College | Youngwood | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Widener University | Chester | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Wilkes University | Wilkes-Barre | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center Practical Nursing | Wilkes Barre | Public | – | – | ACEN | – |
| York College of Pennsylvania | York | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
Programs listed as accredited in the ACEN directory (opens in a new tab) and the CCNE directory (opens in a new tab), collected November 2026 and matched to schools by name and city. Programs in candidacy are not counted. A dash means no accredited program at that level was matched.
Programs with an ACEN note
ACEN publishes a note beside some listings. The wording below is ACEN’s own; open the listing for what it means for the program.
- Delaware County Community College, ADN: With Conditions. ACEN listing (opens in a new tab)
- East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, BSN: With Conditions. ACEN listing (opens in a new tab)
- Lenape Technical School Practical Nursing Program, LPN: With Conditions. ACEN listing (opens in a new tab)
What accreditation means in Pennsylvania
Two separate approvals apply to a nursing program. The Pennsylvania board of nursing approves programs so their graduates can sit the NCLEX. Programmatic accreditation from ACEN or CCNE is voluntary and is judged by a national peer body.
Bachelor's programs are the most common accredited level here, with 46. For bachelor’s degrees, 46 of 64 schools reporting graduates to the federal government matched an accredited program (72%). Compare Pennsylvania BSN programs by NCLEX pass rate, cost and pay.
Common questions
How many nursing schools in Pennsylvania are accredited?
We matched 74 Pennsylvania schools to at least one accredited nursing program in the ACEN and CCNE directories: 46 BSN, 20 ADN, 17 LPN, 34 MSN. Schools with several programs appear once.
What is the difference between ACEN and CCNE?
ACEN accredits nursing programs at every level, from practical nursing to doctorates. CCNE accredits bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs. Both are recognized by the US Department of Education.
Do I need an accredited program to become a nurse in Pennsylvania?
Not always. The state board of nursing approves programs for licensure, and that is a separate approval from ACEN or CCNE accreditation. Accreditation still matters for transferring credits, federal and employer tuition benefits, and entry to graduate programs.
Are all Pennsylvania bachelor’s programs accredited?
46 of the 64 Pennsylvania schools that report nursing bachelor’s graduates to the federal government matched an accredited listing. A school that does not match may be new, may be listed under another name, or may lack accreditation, so check the accreditor’s own directory before you apply.